For over 25 years, art therapy has been a core therapeutic program provided by Friends of Kids with Cancer to children diagnosed with cancer or blood-related diseases in St. Louis. It’s one of the more well-known programs offered, thanks to the fundraiser Art from the Heart, which showcases and auctions artwork created by patients with art therapists.
Our supporters may recognize the beautiful, fun, and often thoughtful artwork, but may not understand what art therapy is and exactly how it helps kids and families as they move through their cancer journey.
“Art Therapy in its simplest form is the intersection of mental health counseling and art making beautifully blended together,” explains Daphne Dierkes, art therapist for Siteman Kids Cancer Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
“At the core of each session lies choice, control, play, and communication,” she explained.
WHAT THEY NEED
Pediatric cancer research tells us these kids need three key psychosocial elements: a sense of control during uncertain times, support to meet developmental milestones, and positive, consistent adults in their lives.
Among so many families, we hear it over and over again: kids feel a huge loss of autonomy over their bodies when diagnosed. Their lives are taken over by scary appointments, painful treatments, and the effects those treatments have on their bodies.
Hair loss, sores, loss of energy, and being uprooted from their typical school and home lives. These kids crave the ability to choose something for themselves.
Teens and young adult patients often speak about having a necessary breakdown and rebuilding of who they are as people. Going through cancer treatment leads to forging a new path for patients of all ages to rebuild themselves. No one is the same after cancer.
Kids want to have hope that they can integrate back into their pre-cancer lives by attending school and not feeling left behind by their peers and the world.
WHAT ART THERAPY PROVIDES
Art therapists give kids the opportunity for control by choosing materials, creating something with those materials, and exploring a personal connection with a positive adult by talking throughout their session.
Research has shown that the more a patient feels like they have a role in their health plan, the better the health results. So, when a child can choose their own art materials, what and how they want to create, it can feel empowering and have an impact on their health.
The children, teens, or young adults we serve sometimes cannot find the words to describe or vocalize their experiences because they don’t have enough life experience to process this drastic change in their lives. Through the creative process of art therapy, connections are created, leading to mental processing of these stresses and improving their quality of life.
Patients are deeply impacted by cancer. It’s a transformational experience for patients, and they need guidance to grow, learn, and rebuild, starting at the diagnosis. Art therapy helps guide them through this process of breakdown and rebuilding of who they have known themselves to be.
Sometimes, there’s a specific worry a child may have that is affecting them emotionally. The art therapist will help put that worry down in visual form, creating a physical form of how “big” the feeling is. They use the artwork to talk and explore, looking at the worry differently, exploring how it feels, and working through what might be overlooked because of the all-consuming anxiety.
Sometimes, art therapy looks simpler, like focusing on the present moment with art materials and practicing sensory exploration, relaxation, and distraction.
“One thing people may not realize is the amount of sitting and the boredom that comes with it. A child starts a procedure and then will be sitting for hours waiting for it to be completed. Their supportive adults are often exhausted by whole experience as well,” explains Chris Liljedahl, art therapist for The Costas Center at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital.
“While the virtual world through tablets and cell phones can be helpful to pass the time, there are diminishing returns the longer they are used. They are great for entertaining, distracting, and numbing. They are not as strong in developing meaning, social connections, cognitive development, and resilience. Art and play are the natural language of children to build meaning, connections, thinking skills, and resilience,” he explains.
HOW FRIENDS HELPS
Friends of Kids with Cancer provides funding for or directly hires one art therapist in each hospital hematology and oncology treatment center: Mercy Cardinals Kids, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancer Center, Siteman Kids at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, and The Costas Center at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital.
On-site art therapy services are referred to childhood cancer patients, their siblings, and parents by our partners at these treatment centers at no cost to the family.
In 2025, nearly 2,000 art therapy sessions took place in treatment centers to help patients, siblings, and caretakers navigate through this experience.
HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT
Art therapy is supported by our Art from the Heart® fundraiser, which began as an art therapy showcase in 2010. This September, we celebrate the 17th Annual Art from the Heart®, where one hundred percent of proceeds from the event go to providing
art therapy in St. Louis treatment centers.
“Art from the Heart is a poignant opportunity to witness their strength, courage, and resilience through their artwork, and how the experience celebrates and honors these young patients during their journey with cancer,” explains Natasha Westrich Hanson, art therapist for Mercy Cardinals Kids, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancer Center.
Learn more about getting involved by attending, donating, or volunteering at
www.friendsofkids.com/art
17th Annual
Art from the Heart FUNDRAISER
PRESENTED BY MUNGENAST LEXUS OF ST. LOUIS
Sponsored by 
Thursday, September 17, 2026
5:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
Mungenast Lexus of St. Louis (MAP)
